As the sun sank in the west, Maa Shan, finished with his long day, arrived at a tavern. He called over a waiter and ordered a pot of Monkey Brew.
"Brother Maa."
A shadow fell over his table.
An old man holding a Snake Staff sat down in front of him and spoke with a cheerful smile.
"Have you considered the proposal I made a few days ago?"
"Elder Mu," Maa Shan said, shaking his head.
"I plan to stay on the Island of Continuous Mountains and see if I can take a shot at reaching Fifth Grade."
"Sigh!" Elder Mu let out a soft sigh.
"Very well."
"You're still young. Although you're only a low Sixth-Grade, you still have a chance to push for Fifth Grade."
"Unlike old geezers like us. Our futures are hopeless. All we can do is return to the mainland, find a city, and live out our days in comfort."
"I wouldn't say that," Maa Shan said, his expression complex.
"My talent is average. It was a stroke of luck that I even reached Sixth Grade. The chances of reaching Fifth Grade are slim to none."
"Rather than struggling here for that slim chance, it's better to be a carefree, untroubled, wealthy man."
"It's just that..."
"I'm not ready to accept it!"
A Sixth-Grade Martial Artist was no longer at the bottom on the Island of Continuous Mountains, but advancing further was next to impossible.
Many people like him struggled here for half their lives, only to eventually return to the mainland, find a city, and live out their days in comfort.
Or they would be recruited by powerful local families to serve as a Guest Minister in their retirement.
Like Elder Mu.
"When I was young, I was just like you—unwilling to accept my lot," Elder Mu said, his voice tinged with emotion.
"I wasted half my life..."
"I hear you've been hosting a guest with the surname Zhu these past couple of days?"
"Hmm?" Maa Shan's eyes shifted slightly.
"Elder Mu, you've been out of the caravan business for a long time. Why the interest in such matters?"
"Someone asked me to make some inquiries," Elder Mu said.
"Where is he headed next?"
"Heh..." Maa Shan lowered his head, his voice indifferent.
"Though I'm just a small fry, I still understand the rules of the trade. I know what I can and can't say."
"Oh, you..." Elder Mu shook his head.
"Your martial arts talent is far better than mine ever was. If you could have just changed your stubborn ways, would you still be running with caravans now?"
"Forget it!"
"Until we meet again!"
"Until we meet again." Maa Shan cupped his fists and watched the other man depart.
...
「The next day.」
A passenger ship docked at Fire Ape Island.
This island was an active volcano inhabited by a troop of Spiritual Fire Apes. The Divine Dynasty Navy had set up a camp here, and using the island's unique terrain, they had built numerous Quiet Chambers to sell or rent to those in need.
"One Grade B Artifact Refining Chamber, one Primordial Crystal per month, with free use of the Earth Evil True Flame."
The person in charge brought over a contract and asked:
"How long would you like to rent for, sir?"
"Three months." Zhu Ju took out three Primordial Crystals and added, "I should be able to extend the rental, right?"
'Theoretically, it shouldn't take three months to reforge the Bright Armor once I have all the materials, but it's always better to be safe than sorry.'
'If I run out of time, changing locations could mean all my previous work goes to waste.'
"Of course," the person in charge nodded.
"But you'll need to give three days' notice. Otherwise, if the Quiet Chamber gets rented out to someone else, my hands will be tied."
"Understood."
Zhu Ju understood. He signed the contract as required, handed over the Primordial Crystals, and received the key to the Quiet Chamber.
"Brother Maa."
Once they arrived at the Quiet Chamber, Zhu Ju relaxed. He took out a Primordial Crystal and tossed it over.
"I've troubled you to run around for me these past few days. Without your help, Brother Maa, gathering the materials and finding a suitable place would have taken forever."
"This is your payment."
"This is too much," Maa Shan said, clutching the Primordial Crystal, his expression complicated.
"Thank you!"
"By the way."
He added casually:
"Someone was asking about Young Master Zhu yesterday. I didn't say anything, but the Island of Continuous Mountains is full of loose lips. I'm afraid secrets don't stay secret for long."
"Oh?" Zhu Ju raised an eyebrow, his tone laced with confusion.
"Asking about me?"
'I've never even left Taiyuan Prefecture, and I've always lived a secluded life. I shouldn't have offended anyone.'
"Are there bandits on the Island of Continuous Mountains?"
"No, no," Maa Shan waved his hands frantically.
"The Island of Continuous Mountains was built by the Divine Dynasty to defend against the East Sea Dragon Race. With Celestial Soldiers stationed here, who would be blind enough to cause trouble?"
"However..."
"Once you leave the Island of Continuous Mountains, that's another story."
"I see," Zhu Ju nodded.
"Thank you for the warning."
*
*
*
CLINK!
The heavy Jade Bottle felt weighty in his hand. As he popped the stopper, a pool of Essence Blood mixed with radiant white light came into view.
At first glance.
It was as if lightning had taken physical form and been sealed within the Jade Bottle, rather than it containing blood.
"Kui Ox?"
Zhu Ju narrowed his eyes, his voice filled with awe.
"Truly worthy of being an Innate Spirit, an Ancient Divine Beast. Even diluted, it still contains such powerful energy."
"And..."
"Thunder Power!"
Legend has it.
The cry of a Kui Ox was like thunder, and its hide could be made into a Divine Drum whose beat could reach Tier Three and purge all evil.
"Let's do this!"
Taking a deep breath, Zhu Ju sat cross-legged, flicked a finger, and a wisp of Essence Blood flew from the porcelain bottle into his mouth.
The Essence Blood danced in the air like twisting lightning. As it entered his stomach, a terrifying energy erupted.
"Nngh!"
Zhu Ju's brows furrowed, his face contorted in pain, as he operated the Ten Thousand Spirits Body Forging Technique with all his might.
'I was careless!'
'The Essence Blood of a Super Grade Demon Saint is this terrifying?'
CRACK!
A crisp cracking sound echoed in his ears.
If anyone had been present, they would have seen that Zhu Ju now resembled a cracked porcelain doll.
Cracks appeared all over the surface of his skin.
Wisps of lightning could be clearly seen through the cracks, as if they were about to burst his Physical Body apart.
"Hmph!"
With a muffled grunt, Zhu Ju's flesh and blood suddenly changed, taking on an illusory, insubstantial quality.
Dharma Body!
His Physical Body was not merely flesh and blood; it had integrated his Seven Spirits and had already become a Dharma Body.
Theoretically, as long as his true self was not destroyed, his Physical Body could not die.
Its regenerative power was nothing short of terrifying.
"Refine!"
With a low shout, Zhu Ju forced his shattering Physical Body to hold together, frantically circulating his Qi Blood to refine the Kui Ox Essence Blood within him.
As time passed, the wisps of Essence Blood were devoured and refined by him, bit by bit.
An unknown amount of time passed.
"Hooo..."
Zhu Ju exhaled a long, turbid breath and slowly opened his eyes, a look of pleasant surprise on his face.
"I never thought the Kui Ox Essence Blood could repair the Venerable Immortal Bone. This is truly an unexpected bonus."
He was once a Third-Grade Nascent Soul Technique Cultivator.
But his abilities went far beyond the Third Grade.
Among them, the Formless Divine Light and the Five-Colored Divine Light were both Super Grade Techniques, and he also possessed a Venerable Immortal Bone.
However, unlike the two types of Magic, although the Venerable Immortal Bone was rooted in his Physical Body, it was difficult to wield. At least, back when Zhu Ju was a Third-Grade Nascent Soul Cultivator, he still found it difficult to utilize.
Unlike the two divine lights, which he could rely on.
And now.
Following the Refinement of the Kui Ox Essence Blood, the shattered Venerable Immortal Bone was actually showing signs of renewed vitality.
Furthermore, wisps of pure Qi Blood flowed into his body, boosting his Cultivation.
He glanced at the porcelain bottle in front of him. He had used less than a tenth of the Essence Blood this time. If he refined it all, let alone reaching the Seventh-Grade Realm, reaching the Eight-Grade Peak would be no problem at all.
And the foundation of his Physical Body would also rise to another level.
"Ngh!"
His body swayed. Zhu Ju's vision went black, and his head felt like it was about to split open. He knew it was due to excessive mental exertion.
'Looks like I can only refine a little at a time.'
'Slow and steady. No need to rush.'
After steadying his mind, he flipped his hand, and a pile of Spiritual Ores and materials appeared on the empty ground before him.
At the same time.
The Bright Armor he had been nurturing in his Dantian Qi Sea also appeared, its eerie, cold luster chilling to behold.
'A Fifth-Grade Defense Armor...'
'I'm something of an artifact refiner myself. I've even forged Magical Treasures before, so a mere Fifth-Grade Qi Blood Divine Weapon should be no trouble at all.'
'First things first, I need to draw up the Earth Evil True Flame.'